


no day but today

by meglimeg



Category: God's Own Country (2017)
Genre: Engagement, Fluff, M/M, Marriage, Sappy sappy sappy stuff guys, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-23 15:53:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13791048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meglimeg/pseuds/meglimeg
Summary: Snapshots of Johnny and Gheorghe's first few years together.





	no day but today

**Author's Note:**

> Guess who's watched God's Own Country about a billion times in the last week? Guess who couldn't stop thinking about writing some sappy fluff about Johnny and Gheorghe? Guess who also loves Rent-based fic titles?

Johnny’s staring at the calendar on the wall, something that must look like shock painted across his face. He squints a little, as if that’ll make the news sink in any easier, as if, somehow, that will make it all make sense. It doesn’t, and he lifts a hand to trace a finger across the date, pressing gently under the number in the box. There’s nothing written in it, to remind him of what day it is. It’s nothing short of a miracle that he’s realised the significance of the date at all. He wonders if Gheorghe or Nan have realised as well. They haven’t mentioned anything, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t noticed.

He spends a few more moments just breathing in, fully trying to comprehend the significance of it all, and he’s so enraptured in his thoughts that he doesn’t even notice the footsteps behind him, the gentle creaking of the floorboards or the shift in the air. It isn’t until two hands snake their way around his waist that he’s brought back from his thoughts, and he drops his hand to cling onto Gheorghe’s, where they’re clasped around his middle. Gheorghe’s chin comes to rest on Johnny’s shoulder, and he hums, his chest rumbling against Johnny’s back, asking, “Everything okay?”

Johnny nods, sighs, and points to the calendar with his free hand. He says, “Didn’t realise the date.”

There’s a beat of silence as Gheorghe looks at the calendar, and then, when he realises what Johnny’s been spending five minutes trying to fully comprehend, his grip tightens around Johnny, and his next words come out almost as an exhale. “Oh. One year.”

Johnny turns his face to look at Gheorghe, and he’s pleased to see that he seems just as overwhelmed by the realisation as he’s been. His eyes are wide, and his face is soft, and Johnny can’t help but lean in to press a kiss to his whiskered cheek. And, god, what a sap he’s turned into recently.

It makes Gheorghe smile, however, and he kisses Johnny’s cheek in turn, before saying, “Should maybe we celebrate?”

Johnny’s thumb runs along Gheorghe’s hand, and thinks. It’s only a year since Gheorghe arrived at the farm, not a year since they first fucked, or first kissed, or since Gheorghe first agreed to come back. But it feels so significant. Nothing outside of the farm or his family has ever lasted this long for Johnny. He never thought he’d be able to hold onto anything for as long as he’s held onto Gheorghe.

He turns in Gheorghe’s arms, and loops his own loosely around Gheorghe’s neck, linking his fingers through the soft hair at the base of his neck. “Dunno. How would you like to celebrate?” Gheorghe stops to think, and Johnny adds, “Nearest restaurant’s about an hour’s drive out?”

Gheorghe shakes his head, and says, “How about I cook for you?” He presses his face into Johnny’s shoulder, and mumbles, just audible, “And you can stay as far away from the kitchen as possible.”

Johnny laughs and hits against Gheorghe’s shoulder, pushing him back, saying, “Hey! ‘M not that bad!”

Gheorghe grins, leans back in, kisses Johnny’s lips this time, and it’s too easy for Johnny to get lost in the sensation. He presses closer to Gheorghe, kisses back insistently, and thinks how wonderful it is, and how grateful he is, that he’s been able to keep this for so long. He makes a silent vow not to let go.

After a couple of minutes of soft kissing, Nan clears her throat from behind them, and they step apart, flushing, hands dropping to their sides. She’s walked in on far too many moments of affection for Johnny’s liking, but as embarrassing as it is, she never makes anything of it. She’s obviously just pleased that they’re so happy, even if she doesn’t really want to _see_ what that happiness looks like.

“Not in my kitchen,” she says, shooing them away from the sink, and then adds, “I’m guessing you noticed the day, then?”

Well, of course she realised. Nothing gets past Nan.

They nod, and Johnny says, “Only just saw,” and she asks, “You doing anything fancy tonight?”

Johnny looks to Gheorghe, who shrugs, and says, “We think we might just stay in. Cook, maybe.”

Nan nods, and says, “I’ll keep out of your hair then.” She pours herself a glass of water and goes to leave the kitchen, but turns back and points to Gheorghe. “Don’t let ‘im anywhere near the stove.”

Gheorghe laughs as Johnny lets out a cry of mock outrage, and then Nan’s out the door, and he’s back in Gheorghe’s arms, and it’s been a pretty good year, all in all.

\-----------

Johnny’s nervous, bouncing on the balls of his feet, eyes scanning the crowd of people desperately. Gheorghe’s been away for three weeks in Romania, and while they’ve been speaking every day on the phone, being away from him for so long for the first time in three years is something that’s been difficult to process.

He was supposed to be with Gheorghe in Romania. They’d worked hard to save up enough money to hire some help for Nan while they were away, and Johnny was excited to be meeting Gheorghe’s family properly, and not just over Skype. But then Nan had taken a fall, and it wasn’t anything too serious, but it kept her off her feet for a while, and the help they’d hired wasn’t able to make up for her missed work, and also couldn’t have helped with Martin.

Gheorghe had wanted to stay, and postpone the holiday for another time, maybe next year, but Johnny had all but pushed him onto the plane. He hadn’t seen his family in nearly five years, and the tickets were non-refundable. They had the money for the help tucked away, and it wouldn’t be long, Johnny promised with a kiss, before they could rearrange.

Now Johnny’s waiting in Arrivals, eyes peeled for Gheorghe’s lovely curls, and he just wants to wrap his arms around him and breathe him in.

His traitorous mind tells him that maybe Gheorghe won’t be coming back, that he’s remembered how much he loves his family and Romania, and who really chooses Johnny anyway? He swallows, and pulls his phone out of his pocket, thumbing through the messages they’ve been sending back and forth, calming himself with Gheorghe’s last message: _just boarding now. See you soon. Love you._

Gheorghe’s coming back.

He’d bought flowers, thinking that maybe some grand romantic gesture would be what Gheorghe would want. They weren’t particularly fancy, but the bouquet had daffodils in, and Gheorghe loves daffodils – he always points to them when they pass them, likes to comment on how hardy they are, how they always come out and bloom, despite the cold and the frost.

He’d felt silly, standing in the airport, surrounded, holding flowers. He threw them away after only a few minutes, and then felt even sillier for throwing them away.

He knows Gheorghe’s flight has already landed, and now it’s only a matter of waiting. He rubs his sweaty palms against his trousers and takes a deep breath, trying to remind himself that there’s no need to be nervous, that everything’s going to be fine, that Gheorghe would never do anything to make him feel bad or embarrassed or –

Gheorghe’s in front of him, walking towards him, bag slung over his shoulder and face beaming. Johnny grins back, crossing the distance between them and flinging his arms around him in a tight, crushing hug.

Gheorghe holds him, burying his face into Johnny’s shoulder, and Johnny places a kiss to Gheorghe’s neck, saying, “Fuck, I missed you.”

Gheorghe pulls back slightly and looks into Johnny’s eyes, before leaning in and kissing him gently, murmuring quietly, “I missed you too. So much.”

The words warm Johnny’s insides, and he steels himself for what he’s about to do. Nothing bad’s going to happen. It’s all going to be fine.

He swallows, steps back, and holds onto Gheorghe’s hands. “I didn’t really know how to do this, and I don’t want to make a big song and dance or anything, but. Well.” He looks down at their joined hands, then up at Gheorghe’s confused face. “Do you wanna get married?”

Gheorghe’s eyebrows shoot up into his hairline, and Johnny immediately feels embarrassed, dropping his hands and stepping back. He rubs the back of his neck and says, “Never mind, forget it, I was being stupid.” He starts to walk away, and tries to change the subject, saying, “How was Romania then, the family all right?”

And then Gheorghe’s hand is on his bicep and pulling him round to face him. “You didn’t let me answer,” he says, amused, and Johnny swallows, nodding.

“Sorry,” he says, sheepishly. “You can say no, by the way. I won’t mind.”

Gheorghe grins. “You ruined my plans,” he says, and Johnny’s brow furrows.

“That doesn’t sound much like an answer.” Gheorghe laughs.

“True,” he says, reaching into his pocket, and pulling out a small black box. “I got this from my mother, for you. It was my grandfather’s.” He passes the box to Johnny, who opens it with wide eyes, taking in the sight of the simple, golden band.  

“Oh,” he says. And he smiles, and looks into Gheorghe’s eyes, and says, “Guess that’s a yes, then?”

And the ring fits perfectly, and maybe it’s sappy, embracing and kissing and getting engaged in an airport. Johnny doesn’t care.

\-----------

The wedding day is planned for a year later, on the anniversary of the day that Gheorghe had arrived four years earlier.

Martin had defied all of the doctor’s expectations, and was still around and lucid enough to sit with Johnny the morning of the big day, and offer what wisdom he could. “Always. Apologise,” he says, and Johnny smiles.

“Think I’ve got that one down already, ta,” he says, and his dad can’t really laugh anymore, and he never did before, really. But there’s something in his face that tells Johnny he’s happy, and even if he never wanted his only son to be gay, he’s made it clear over the years that he likes Gheorghe, and what he’s done for him. And he definitely thinks the wedding is a good idea.

The day goes off without a hitch, down at the little church a few miles down the road. Gheorghe’s family had made it to the ceremony, and had happily greeted Johnny with all the enthusiasm they’d given him when they’d visited Romania over Christmas. They sat in the rickety pews of the tiny Church, and had cheered when they’d kissed, and even if Nan had rolled her eyes at their enthusiasm, Johnny had seen her wipe away a tear or two, during the ceremony.

Their reception is at the pub they’d started going to after Gheorghe had first come back with him (purposefully a very different one to the one they’d first gone to, even if they never spoke of that time anymore). Johnny doesn’t drink anymore, but something about being married to Gheorghe has him acting as if he’s as drunk as he’s ever been, and he’s swaying with Gheorghe in the middle of the pub, some dodgy DJ who was the cheapest they’d been able to get playing some ridiculously cheesy songs, and Johnny doesn’t want to let go. They stop every now and then to kiss, to hold onto each other, and it takes a lot for Johnny not to cling further south, to take Gheorghe away somewhere just for them.

After a while, Nan comes up to them and taps Johnny on the shoulder. They pull apart slightly and stop moving, and she says, “I couldn’t get you much, but we put some money aside, and, well. You deserve to get away for a bit.” She hands them a piece of paper, and adds, “Just three nights, mind, but it’s fancy, the honeymoon suite.” Johnny looks down, sees the name of the nicest hotel for miles printed out onto the paper, and says:

“Nan, this is too much.”

She bats her hand about in the air, and says, “It’s paid for now. I’ll be fine with the beasts. Enjoy the time to yourselves.” She’s smiling, and Johnny grins too, stepping forward and pulling her into a hug. As he steps back, Gheorghe takes his place, and Johnny’s mind starts drifting to their first night together as husbands; a fancy hotel room, no need to get up early to feed a load of shitty animals. Just each other.

It’s not long before they’re stumbling into a taxi, giddy with love, and with Gheorghe beside him, Johnny thinks he’d be just as happy in that first barn they slept and kissed in.

Because Gheorghe’s his husband, now. He’s held onto him for four years, and there are rings on their fingers that mean he’s going to be around for even longer.

It’s sappy, sure. But what was wrong with sappy?

Gheorghe kisses his shoulder, twines their fingers together, and says, “You cannot get rid of me, now.”

Johnny grins, and kisses his lips. “I’m gonna hold you to that.”

Gheorghe grins back.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed! If people like this enough I'm thinking of making a series with more snapshots from their lives, so let me know if that's something you'd like to see!


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